


Even If...

by ekzxo (2870)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best friend's brother, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hate to Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Some Humor, Surprise Kissing, Ugly Holiday Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27703591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2870/pseuds/ekzxo
Summary: Jongin (supposedly) hates Sehun with a burning passion, but he is his best friend's younger brother, so helping him in an awkward situation is only the right thing to do.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 5
Kudos: 60
Collections: monthlysekai's Love at First...





	Even If...

**Author's Note:**

> Love at first kiss written for monthlysekai's challenge #1!
> 
> im so happy to be apart of the first challenge eep i hope i keep going monthly bc tbh this fic right here really brought me back to comfort since i haven't touched any of my other fest fics in a while.
> 
> I HAD TO SNIP A LOT SOOO MUCH BC I THOUGHT THE CHALLENGE WAS 3K WORDS NOT 2K AHHFHFFNNCDCD
> 
> pls enjoyyyyy!!

There's an awkward scene unfolding. Jongin has never seen Sehun with his shoulders hunched, lip quivering. The sight of Sehun seeming so vulnerable is not in his memory. 

Jongin is attracted to the situation, hiding behind a rack full of reindeer scented hand soap — whatever that smells like is beyond Jongin's theory.

"I'm shopping for my girlfriend's parents christmas gifts. And you?"

"Oh… I'm here with my boyfriend shopping for his sister's gift. He's just… wandering around." That enthusiasm is fake, Jongin knows it. He always does that when he's forced to greet Jongin at the door in front of their families.

"Actually, my girlfriend is like that too!"

"That's just lovely. Wonderful. Great!"

Sehun is laughing so much at this point. Jongin can't bear to see him act this way despite their whole hateful enemies thing going on. 

Jongin strides towards Sehun’s side and smacks a wet kiss on his cheek, earning a squirming Sehun. Over Sehun's whining he says, “Hi, baby! I found something really nice. Wanna see it with me?” He snakes an arm around Sehun’s waist and extends the other out to the stranger. “Jongin.”

“Baekhyun.” 

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Jongin comments lousily. 

Sehun whisper-snarls his name beside him and pinches the hand on his hip. Jongin manages to pinch him right back without making it obvious. 

“We dated for years.”

“Huh… interesting.”

“So interesting,” Sehun grunts. 

“Okay, well, I should get back to my girlfriend."

Baekhyun finally walks away. Sehun shoves Jongin away and punches his chest aggressively. Jongin fake whimpers just so Sehun feels like he’s doing a good job, but he actually punches like a child.

“Why did you do that?”

“You weren’t going to survive on your own.”

“Would’ve!”

Jongin snickers and goes to a display of candies. He knows Sehun would follow him so he mutters, “Wouldn’t have.” When he looks over his shoulder, Sehun is definitely hot on his heels with this cute, frustrated pout on his face.

“I would leave, but they’ll notice that we’re leaving separately!”

Jongin shrugs. “Leave. I'll say you had the runs.”

“You’re an awful boyfriend.”

“Oh, you still want to play?”

“Because they’re looking at us. She’s so pretty. They are so hot together. This is the worst. Get over here and kiss me!”

“No.”

Sehun pulls him by the collar. “You put us in this situation first, Jongin!”

“Nope.”

“Shitty boyfriend!“

Jongin leans forward to please the antsy brat with a mesmerising kiss. He is not looking forward to it one bit, but he riled Sehun this much. It's the least he can do. Sehun's lips are probably chapped and unflattering. What he doesn't expect when their lips meet is the way his stomach does this absurdly strange thing. Jongin blames it from how disgusting Sehun is, and yet, Jongin deepens the kiss and savors how gentle his lips feel.

Sehun pulls away with a groan. He looks over Jongin's shoulder then sighs in relief and wipes his lips, giving Jongin an unsettling sensation. He stares at Jongin with a blank expression and Jongin looks away immediately, feeling his face reddening. Maybe it's not red, but it feels boiling hot. It's obviously not contagious because Sehun looks like Sehun, annoyed as ever, if not complacent and edgy. 

“Well, bye," Jongin mumbles, making no attempt to move. 

Sehun scurries off.

  
  


In the last decade of knowing Chanyeol and Sehun, Jongin never heard of a Baekhyun. Whoever that guy was, Jongin doesn't know how he put up with Sehun. Shy and sweet like strawberries, but cunning and persuasive. _Well_. He throws petty fits and spits offhanded insults to Jongin, but he loves his oldest brother Chanyeol with all his heart.

Jongin feels delusional for the sudden shift in his way he sees things. 

Sehun has been at Jongin and Chanyeol's for the last hour. Jongin felt like an eager dog when the doorbell rang, signalling Sehun's arrival. He approached the stairs casually and sauntered down, as if Sehun's presence didn't bother him despite the way his heart was banging rapidly against his chest.

Now, they're across each other having dinner and Jongin keeps throwing subtle looks at his best friend's younger brother. Jongin doesn't understand why he's feeling this way. There's a strange temptation to touch him, even if it means poking at his ankle with his toe.

"Did you end up finding an ugly christmas sweater, Jongin?"

"Uh, no," Jongin replies, pulling his gaze away from Sehun to focus on Chanyeol.

"I forgot to mention, save money and borrow one of Sehun's upon the many ugly sweaters he owns."

Jongin nearly snaps his neck by looking back at Sehun. "You collect ugly sweaters?" 

"Us three took a really good photo and sent it to everyone as a season greetings gag. Remember? He’s worn one every single year for the last five years."

Jongin furrows his eyebrows at the information fed to him. This just goes to show that Jongin has never turned eyes in Sehun's direction. But now the thoughts of Sehun in an adorable, silly festive tickles his mind and makes him want to see it for his very own eyes.

“If it’s fine by you—“

“Cut it with the gentle talk just because you need something from me. It’s weird.”

Jongin thinks it’s weird too. Why is Sehun having this effect on him? He stabs a piece of shrimp with his chopstick. “Ten bucks if you let me raid your closet for an ugly sweater. Preferably with a reindeer.”

“Fifteen and I’ll tell you it looks nice on you.”

“Sure. _Wait_. I don’t need fifteen bucks for a compliment.”

“Thirteen bucks for renting my favorite sweater.”

Chanyeol chokes, Jongin could care less. He’s rudely interrupting them. “You’d give your sworn enemy your favorite red reindeer sweater?” 

“Thirteen bucks.”

Jongin shakes his head fondly. “Twelve and another kiss.”

“ _Another_?!” Chanyeol gasps. 

Jongin’s body goes numb, tensing up with his eyes glued on Sehun, who holds the same taken aback expression. He didn’t mean that. No, he totally did. He doesn’t know why he let it get out of his mouth though. It’s worse that he said it in front of Chanyeol. 

As quick as he confessed, he’s quick to get back into game mode. 

“I mean, yeah. Everyone wants a tiny kiss from me. Is this a deal? It’s the least I can do.”

“Whatever, Jongin,” Sehun scoffs. 

“So, a kiss and ten bucks?”

“Okay. _Wait_!”

  
  


“Get your ass in here, I’ll be down in a minute.”

Jongin takes a seat on his favorite cushion, as he would on any other day. With just him and Sehun here, it feels so strange. It’s eerie and he can hear Sehun’s footsteps from upstairs.

Sehun comes back, holding a vibrant red sweater. There’s a reindeer in the center with ringing bells. His antlers are long, creeping towards the sheer arm sleeves. He gives Jongin the piece of clothing without haste. Jongin gives it a good examination before slinging it over his arm and sending Sehun a bright, thankful smile. 

“So, your fifteen bucks." He opens Sehun’s hand to smack it in his palm.

“We agreed thirteen.”

“Thirteen and a kiss? No thanks.” Jongin tilts his head and adds, “Unless?”

“You’re so frustrating, Jongin! Shut up. Stop getting my hopes up.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Yeah yeah, always act silly with me. Play boyfriend with me. Kiss me back. Tell me you want to kiss me again. None of this means anything to you. Here, take the cash back. I owe you. I don’t want money. All I want is for that sweater to go back to my brother in one piece without the smell of alcohol.” 

Sehun attempts to stride in the direction of the stairs, but Jongin curls his fingers around his wrist. He catches glossy eyes and a shaky bottom lip. 

“Does a bratty little baby I’ve known since ten have feelings for me?” 

“What do you want out of this? To tease me some more? You already do. So why not confess!”

Jongin sighs and pulls Sehun to sit with him on the couch. He pushes his buttons and makes him whine, but he never wants to actually hurt him.

“I’m not going to make fun of you.”

Jongin folds the sweater then makes sure to give Sehun all of his attention.

“I’ve liked you for so long, Jongin. But I knew things could only end in three ways. You and I work, then ruin it for you and Chanyeol. You and I work then your friendship is not ruined but everything will be awkward. And the last one’s a bit embarrassing. The most embarrassing theory actually.”

“Oh come on,” Jongin says encouragingly.

“You and Chanyeol.” Sehun shakes his head. “Don’t make me say it.”

Jongin looks to their hands that were apparently joined as he thinks for a moment. And then. 

“Oh! No, no. I’ve never liked him, that's so gross, man.”

“What’s more gross? You and I or you and Chanyeol?”

“Chanyeol as my boyfriend for sure.”

“So you’re not opposed to me as your boyfriend?”

Jongin chuckles. “A man who collects ugly holiday sweaters? Just my type.”

“Instead of the fifteen or thirteen can you just kiss me?”

“Wait, you already gave me my money and the sweater. Imma head out.”

“Jongin,” Sehun says softly while grabbing both his hands now, holding them tightly against his chest. “You’ve convinced me that you like me, too. Do you?”

Does he? Chanyeol sees it. Sehun sees it. The way he felt with Sehun since his vulnerability and kiss was something definitely different. He thinks he could give it a chance and he hopes it’s not just because of those scenarios.

“Wait, kiss me so I know for sure.”

“Jongin, don’t be a dick right now.”

“Me? You are.”

“No. You are. A stupid, big fat dick.”

" _Sehunnie_.”

Sehun brings his hand to Jongin’s cheek. "This is the first time you’ve called me that in ten years.”

“Is it now?”

“You stopped since I started getting mean. The last time you used that was when we played while waiting for Chan. It’s also when you accidentally kicked my face. You kissed my cheek. Playfully, sure, but it mattered to me. I just knew I was in love with you. I needed to avoid my feelings at all costs.”

Jongin allows himself to absorb Sehun’s feelings. Sehun said _love_. He wonders how Sehun feels now, if he’s developed something more or settled to something less. Everything feels so surreal. Jongin doesn’t think he’s ever had deep, romantic feelings for the other, but he definitely knows that he has always looked forward to Sehun and all he’s ever wanted to do was make Sehun so happy. Jongin only bullied Sehun in response to Sehun irritating him first. He can see a future where the two of them treat each other better because it feels like all of this hatefulness was a discrete tactic to cover up something more. 

“Now that we’ve discussed our feelings—“

“What about you? How do I know you’re not messing around?”

“Our fights were only banters. I live for them. The good and the bad, I like it all. Is that good enough?”

Sehun looks reasonably pleased. “Fine by me. What were you going to say?”

“Should we tell Chanyeol?”

“Maybe after we’ve figured _us_ out?”

“Right. That works. So uh,” Jongin gulps, realizing how close Sehun is to him, “I’m to kiss you.”

Sehun’s breath reaches his skin. The backyard door swings open. 

“I brought snacks, what movie were we watching again?”

Sehun scrambles off Jongin’s lap with a scarlet face. 

"I never—" 

"Sure you did."

Chanyeol collapses in between them, separating the pair.

Jongin drops against the couch and spots Sehun in symmetry, giving him this loopy grin behind Chanyeol. Suddenly, pieces come together while staring at the blushing Sehun who is very, undeniably so cute.

“This is why you’d give me your favorite reindeer sweater of all sweaters!”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> yeah love at first kissy??? and here’s a tiny epilogue: sehun moves in with jongin and chanyeol. chanyeol would be jongins best man. hehe. the couple wears traditional ugly xmas sweaters annually.
> 
> goSHHH I think I'll share u guys the fuller version soon - or maybe turn it into a whole 10k fic bc I feel so bad that it was totally trimmed!! ):


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